Chapter 19 -- Unanswered Question
"Roll Call! Everybody out for roll call!" Schultz's loud voice pierced the early morning air. "Raus! Everybody outside!"
The prisoners of Barracks two slowly filed outside. They were all a bit exhausted from the late night party they held welcoming back their Senior POW officer.
Hogan stood in his customary place in the formation, hands clasped behind him. He had a lopsided grin on his face as he watched Schultz count each prisoner. It had been nearly two weeks since being rescued from Abwehr headquarters, and though he still felt a bit of weakness in his legs, and he still tired easily, for the most part, Hogan felt almost as good as new.
Of course he attributed his feeling pretty good to the choice words he gave the Allied High Command in London about their decision to shut down his operation when everybody thought he was dead and for not budging in their decision even when they found out he was alive. And though the operation was now active again, Hogan was still angry at what London had done.
He wasn't so much angry at the shutting down of the operation itself, but at London turning its back on his men. That he could not and would not accept. And he hadn't hesitated to let London know exactly how he felt.
"I heard you missed me, Schultz," Hogan said when the rotund Sergeant got around to him.
"Jawohl, Colonel Hogan," Schultz admitted, smiling. "Roll call wasn't any fun without you."
"Glad to be back, Schultz," Hogan replied. He winked at the Sergeant as he saw Klink approaching.
"Schultz! Repoooorrrrrtttttt!" Klink bellowed as he approached. Schutz turned and saluted Klink who returned the salute.
"Herr Kommandant, all prisoners present and accounted for."
"Very good, Schultz." Klink paused for a moment as his eyes fell on his Senior POW officer. "It's good to have you back, Colonel Hogan," he said sincerely.
Hogan was touched at Klink's apparent sincerity. "Why Kommandant," he said with a grin, "I didn't know you cared."
Klink let a faint smile appear. He looked at Schultz. "Sergeant, you may dismiss the prisoners."
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant." Schultz again saluted. Turning, Schultz looked at the prisoners. "Dismissed!" Then he followed Klink back into the Kommandant's office.
The prisoners, once dismissed, dispersed. Hogan and his men reentered the barracks. The black wreath which had hung so prominently on Hogan's door had been removed. The Colonel poured himself a partial cup of hot coffee and sat down at the table with his men. He took a sip of the hot liquid. It burned his throat, but he didn't seem to notice.
"You all right, Colonel?" asked Kinch, concerned. "You seem a bit quieter than usual."
"I'm okay," Hogan replied, not looking at Kinch. "I was just thinking."
"About what, mon Colonel?" asked LeBeau.
Hogan shrugged his shoulders. "About everything that happened, LeBeau. I mean, I know Frolichman and Heinman are both dead. But my gut still tells me this isn't over. Not by a long shot."
"But with both of them dead, Colonel, they can't come after you anymore," LeBeau was quick to point out.
"But we can't forget that someone killed Doctor Erlichman. And if Morrison is right, somewhere out there is a group of people who are just as evil if not more evil than the Gestapo and aren't afraid to do their worst. And the worst part of this is, they could be anybody."
Hogan's men all exchanged concerned looks. They knew their Colonel was right. Newkirk, having lit a cigarette, took a long drag on it before he spoke.
"You think Morrison's right, sir?"
This time Hogan looked at Newkirk. "About what, Newkirk? About there being an unknown group of people out there somewhere who wouldn't hesitate to do worst things to a person than the Gestapo would?"
Yes, sir."
Hogan shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I could say with certainty that there was nobody worse than the Gestapo. But after what happened to Doctor Erlichman, I can't be sure." He paused as he took another drink of coffee. "None of us can," he added thoughtfully.
"So what are we going to do, Colonel?" asked Kinch.
"I don't know, Kinch. For the first time, I really have no idea. I wouldn't even know where to begin trying to find these people." He paused. "I'm not even sure they can be found."
"Don't worry, Colonel," LeBeau said softly. "We won't let any of these people get near you. And if there's no other way, we will get you out of Germany."
Hogan smiled faintly and shook his head. "Don't worry about me, LeBeau. I promise I'll be careful. But you fellas have to promise me you'll be careful as well."
"Oui," LeBeau said. "Is there any other way to be but careful?"
"Blimey," Newkirk remarked, running a hand over his brown hair. "Our job keeps getting more and more difficult all the time."
Hogan smirked as he drank his coffee. He looked up as Carter approached him.
"Something I can do for you, Carter?" Hogan asked.
"Yes, sir." Carter bit his lower lip nervously. "Colonel, how about a game of chess?"
Hogan smiled warmly at the young Sergeant. Somehow, Carter always seemed to know what to say whenever Hogan was feeling down.
"Sure. Why not, Carter. A game of chess might be just what I need."
Carter smiled. As he hurried to get the chess set, Hogan realized that not even a game of chess would erase from his mind the possibility of an additional and unknown evil presence in Germany and that he himself may be a marked man.